It was Wednesday, the 11th day in October 2023. Cladded in blue polo T-shirts and red face caps branded with the inscription 'Gbaramatu Prayer Day' and 'GPD', respectively, the publicity team of the Gbaramatu Interdenominational Christian Fellowship, GICF, disembarked from the boat on arrival at each stop at their destination in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West council area of Delta State, to embark on sensitizing community members ahead of its forthcoming spiritual programme.

Led by its chairman, Pst Samuel Ukuli (a leader in the Redeemed Christian Church of God) and its vice chairman, Apst. Mathias Zion (spiritual leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Amaebimo Zion, Kunukunuma), the GICF, an umbrella body of Christians and the organisers of a one-day prayer conference billed for Friday, the 13th day in October 2023 at Oporoza town, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, are seeking for the growth and advancement of their ancestral home the 'Spiritual Way'.

"We are doing this [publicity] to create more awareness and to let the people know about the Gbaramatu Prayer Day," said Pst Ukuli in a chat with PENGlobal Community. "This is also to motivate and encourage them by letting them know we are on ground.

"Also, we are mindful that even though the programme has been circulating and announced on social media and in the broadcast medium, there are still some of our people in the communities who are not disposed to using such modern means of communication and information, coupled with the challenge of poor infrastructures like poor communication network among others," he added.

Some of the communities visited by the GICF publicity Team during the rally include Egwa 1, Okerenkoko, Kurutie, Kunukunuma, Azama, Kokodiagbene, Benikrukru, Opuedebubor, Oporoza, among others in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Despite being an oil producing territory, the Gbaramatu Kingdom suffers from basic and modern-day infrastructures like good roads and bridges, hospitals, poor network, inaccessibility to potable water for all, among others, leading to most of its inhabitants making the nearby cities of Warri and environs their dwelling places.

Over the years, in a bid to address the neglect of the kingdom and other coastal settlements in the Niger Delta region by the government and oil companies in the lucrative oil and gas sector, various violent and nonviolent groups have sprung up, engulfing the region in conflicts.  

But for the GICF, they believe that growth and development begins with having a close relationship with God and that with Him "all things are possible". As spiritual leaders, they see it as their responsibility to look out for the spiritual welfare of their ancestral home and one way to make their own contributions to its growth is to call on the Creator who has blessed the kingdom to turn the tide of underdevelopment to a stream of development.

"According to 2 Chronicles 7 verse 14, 'If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear'," said Apst. Amaye, while speaking on the essence of the programme.

"Men may try in their own way, but without putting God in the picture, the race will be in vain. And so, the Gbaramatu Prayer Day is our approach to seeking for the growth and advancement of our Gbaramatu Kingdom through taking our myriad problems to Him, a demonstration that we can do nothing on our own without Him.

"The GICF is therefore calling on all sons and daughters be they leaders and chiefs, business men and women, even strangers who live here in the kingdom to join us on Friday, October 13, to cry to God. People have put their hope in government and oil companies to bring about the transformation they desired but which failed. They should try God who definitely does not fail. Mind you, they are not only praying for Gbaramatu but for themselves too, because if Gbaramatu prospers, they too shall prosper," Apst. Amaye added.

In the communities visited, the atmosphere was the same—excitement filled the air, as people including children, came out to join in the rally and to receive fliers announcing the programme as well as listen to words of brief exhortations from the GICF Publicity Team.

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